Why You Should Do Easier Exercises

As a full-time fitness writer and gym buff, a dream of mine recently came true: I was cast as one of the three background models in the latest Men’s Health workout DVD. (That’s me in the blue top in the photo above.)

Except the role came with one minor catch: I would perform the “easy” versions of the exercises in all 9 DVD workouts.

Now, I’m a strong woman. I can do 11 strict chinups in a row, deadlift more than my body weight, and finish 200 goblet squats in 20 minutes. So the last thing I wanted to do was reign myself in while the cameras rolled and BJ Gaddour—MH Fitness Director and the mastermind behind the DVD—cranked out reps next to me.

But in the weeks leading up to the shoot, Gaddour said something interesting to me: “Everyone—from beginners to seasoned gym rats—needs to occasionally perform regressions. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the discipline to do them.”

So I did the base-level movements. Check that: I often did the movement that was one level below the base movement. (We call it a “minus one.”) No matter what, I stayed with the easiest exercise—for every second of every single routine.

And yet I got one hell of a workout. Actually, I got one hell of a workout times nine.

In the end, I found that sticking to the easier exercises has serious value, even if you’re already in great shape. Here are two reasons why.

(Gaddour’s DVD launches this January. But you can check out his cutting-edge fitness program, Bodyweight Cardio Burners, right now. All you need to blast fat is 20 minutes and your body—no equipment required.)

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

1. You Become a Master of Movement You should push yourself in the gym—but not beyond your limits. Too often, progressing a movement can lead to a speedy, sloppy mess. You fatigue quickly so you just plow through the exercise any way you can, says Gaddour.

And that’s bad news for many reasons. Poor form shifts the work away from the targeted muscles toward your joints and tendons, increasing your potential of injury, he explains. It also forces you to stop short of full range of motion, firing fewer muscle fibers.

Is working fewer muscle fibers really your goal?

Let’s say you’re doing spiderman pushups for 40 seconds, but you’re resting for a second or two (or three) at the top of the movement as you get deeper into the set. Or you start to cheat because you’re struggling to push yourself up from the bottom.

Ask yourself: Are you really doing spiderman pushups for 40 seconds? If you can’t do them at steady pace and with perfect form, the answer is no. There are a couple of options: You could reduce the duration of your set, or you could regress the exercise.

The right regression will allow you to maintain perfect form and a steady pace. “It prevents your body from just jumping into ‘survival mode,’” Gaddour says. You can do the movement as it was intended, achieving maximal benefit every single rep.

Plus, you’re building a stronger foundation. Put the time and effort into becoming proficient at a base movement, and you won’t get as fatigued as quickly when you progress to the next version of the exercise, says Gaddour.

2. You Do More Work in Less Time When it comes to building muscle and burning fat, one factor trumps the rest: how much work you accomplish, says Gaddour. And one of the best ways to accomplish as much work as possible in a given time is to choose easier exercises.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Obviously, the exercises have to be challenging. So “easier” doesn’t mean “easy.” It’s relative.

Imagine setting a clock for five minutes and doing lunges or split jumps. Both versions are tough, but the chances are high that you’ll be able to churn out a lot more reps of the lunges during that time period. You can go faster for longer and with less rest.

“You’re decreasing the intensity, but finishing more reps in each set,” Gaddour explains. “A high training density increases your production of growth hormone, promoting fat loss and muscle building, and cranks up your metabolism to an insane level.”

So when should you revert to easier exercises? If you’re a beginner or trying to get back in shape, Gaddour recommends doing the easier versions for at least 6 weeks—and up to 12.

Why so long? Because it first allows you enough time to make the neural adaptations that help you start to master a movement pattern and improve your strength, says Gaddour.

Think of it as learning a new skill. It literally takes hundreds, and more accurately thousands of repetitions, before you become “good” at anything—including an exercise.

As your skill improves, you’re then better able to train the muscles involved, for increased size and endurance.

And once you begin to become good, you want to spend some time at that same level, “training your muscles up” to that proficiency, says Gaddour.

To start, do the variation of an exercise that allows you to perform crisp, clean movements and complete your entire set at the same intensity—from start to finish— yet still feel like you could perform a couple of more reps. So if you can do 7 good reps of the easiest exercise, with two left in the tank, that’s fine. Build from there.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

After 6 weeks, you can progress to a harder exercise variation, with one caveat: You should be at the point where you can do 10 reps with perfect form. If you’re not there, stay at the current level.

And if you’re already a consistent gym goer? Try performing the base-level movements for a week straight every 6 to 12 weeks. Focus on perfect form and maximizing your effort each set. You’ll no doubt improve your skill, and give your muscles a novel challenge—for a seriously kickass workout.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.